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By PatrickMooney
CSNChicago.com CubsInsider Follow@CSNMooney
The Cubs think Brett Jackson is straight out of central casting.

Hes their natural, a California dude who played his college ball at Berkeley. Hes the left-handed bat the organization is constantly searching for. Hes a good quote and he wont mind talking in front of the cameras. Hes not afraid of the bright lights.

Thats how Cubs people have talked about the 23-year-old Jackson, who could be roaming center field at Clark and Addison as soon as next season.

The Cubs made three more September call-ups from Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday reliever John Gaub, infielder DJ LeMahieu and outfielder Lou Montaez. Jackson was nowhere to be found at Wrigley Field.

That wasnt a surprise, because the Cubs had been downplaying the possibility for weeks, even though Jackson may have the highest ceiling of all their position-player prospects.

There are concerns about the 40-man roster, and starting the clock on his major-league service time. Those are decisions for the next general manager.

But Jackson the 31st overall pick in the 2009 draft is living up to the hype. Hes part of the player-development system Tom Ricketts has so much faith in that the chairman gave a new four-year contract to farm director Oneri Fleita. It wouldnt surprise anyone if Ricketts made a similar deal with scouting director Tim Wilken.

Jackson finished his second full professional season which began at Double-A Tennessee by hitting .297 with 10 homers, 26 RBI and a .939 OPS in 48 games at Iowa.

The skys the limit, interim general manager Randy Bush said. Its not out of the realm of possibility that this guy comes to camp and makes the team. Thats how quickly hes progressing.

Jackson will skip the Arizona Fall League. Hell play for Team USA and travel to Panama for the World Cup and Mexico for the Pan American Games. The hope is that a high-intensity environment, the pressure of international competition, will help him grow.

Were thrilled with his progress, Bush said. Hes getting better and better. For him to have made the jump to Iowa and perform as well as he did was outstanding. He just needs at-bats.

Hes such an interesting guy. Hes got speed and his powers already emerging. Hes patient. Hell take a walk. He brings a lot of things to the table that are pretty exciting looking forward.

Jackson wouldnt have played very much in the majors this month because right or wrong manager Mike Quade is loyal to his veterans and the Cubs are already committed to finding out about Tyler Colvin.

The Cubs also didnt want to have to protect Jackson from the Rule 5 draft because they already have to add around six players to the 40-man roster this winter. That group is headlined by Josh Vitters and Matt Szczur.

Vitters the third overall pick in the 2007 draft recently turned 22 and finished his Double-A regular season hitting .283 with 14 homers and 81 RBI in 129 games. Szczur got a unique contract and 1.5 million this season to give up his NFL ambitions and concentrate on one day becoming the true leadoff hitter the Cubs have lacked.

But no one seems to be coming as fast as Jackson, who walked around Fitch Park during spring training like he belonged. Around the clubhouse, the Cubs once saw similar traits in Starlin Castro.

He carries himself with a certain confidence, swagger, Bush said. Not in a bad way. (Its) just (understanding what hes) going to be able to do.

The outfields crowded now, but Marlon Byrd will be on an expiring contract next season (6.5 million). The Cubs have seemed willing to eat a large portion of the 54 million left on Alfonso Sorianos contract (if a taker can be found).

Colvin, another first-round pick, hasnt established himself yet. Reed Johnson could make sense on another one-year deal as the guy to mentor Jackson.

Is Jackson ready to make an impact in 2012?

Thats up to him, Quade said. We never had that conversation about Tyler Colvin before last year and what a spring he had. Im sure hes confident off what he was able to do for a little bit of time in Triple-A. Hell get a good look in spring training next year. He should. Hes earned that. But whether hes readywell see.

Tyson Ross could be one of the final pieces for Cubs’ offseason puzzle

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Tyson Ross could be one of the final pieces of the offseason puzzle as the Cubs try to defend their World Series title while still planning for the future.

The Cubs left this week’s winter meetings in Maryland still involved in the Ross talks, sources said, monitoring an intriguing pitcher they had targeted before the 2015 trade deadline.

The San Diego Padres didn’t really buy or sell during that pennant race and made another curious decision last week when they didn’t offer Ross a contract for 2017. MLB Trade Rumors projected Ross would have made $9.6 million during his final year in the arbitration system.

After issues involving his right shoulder wiped out almost his entire season, Ross underwent surgery in October to address thoracic outlet syndrome.

Ross was San Diego’s Opening Day starter during a 15-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but didn’t pitch again, clouding a future that once had him looking like a trade-deadline chip and one of the best pitchers in the free-agent class after the 2017 season.

That’s when Jake Arrieta will be looking for his megadeal and John Lackey might be in retirement and Jon Lester will be turning 34. That’s why the Cubs are so focused on pitching this winter and trying to balance out an organization tilted toward hitters.

Kyle Hendricks proved he will be a pitcher to build around – and the Cubs believe Mike Montgomery can evolve from a swingman into a fifth starter and maybe something far more valuable – but depth is a real issue.

Ross made 30-plus starts in 2014 and 2015, when he earned an All-Star selection and accounted for almost 400 innings combined. He will turn 30 in April and is seen as a positive force within the clubhouse. He has a 6-foot-6 frame, a second-round-pick pedigree and a Cal-Berkeley education.

Reports have already linked the Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates to Ross and not completely ruled out a return to San Diego. During an offseason where the free-agent market is essentially devoid of reliable frontline starters, there could be sticker shock, even with a rehabbing pitcher.

Trading for Wade Davis meant the Cubs were out of the bidding for Greg Holland, another All-Star closer who helped turn the Kansas City Royals into World Series champions. Holland spent this year recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, but he will still be in position to capitalize after Mark Melancon, Aroldis Chapman and eventually Kenley Jansen reset the market for closers.

With Ross, the Cubs will have to get a better sense of the medical picture and the price for all that upside.

Beyond a winning culture, the Cubs can sell the pitching infrastructure that helped turn Arrieta into a Cy Young Award winner and transform Hendricks into an ERA leader and keep the rotation remarkably healthy.

“Those really talented pitchers are going to be in demand, even those that are coming off an injury,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said this week at National Harbor. “We’ll stay engaged on some of those guys, but they’ll have to be just the right talent.

“We’ll have to feel good about the medical and the return to play. And the fit on the club would have to be right, too. But the true elite guys have a real market, even if they’re coming off down seasons.”

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Two months after leading the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years, Bryant signed a multi-year extension with Adidas.

"It's a phenomenal time to be partnered with Adidas with all the energy and momentum that the brand has right now," Bryant said via a press release. "Adidas embraced me as part of the family from the start."

Bryant was named National League MVP after hitting .292 with 39 homers and 102 RBIs. He hit .308 with three homers and 8 RBIs in the postseason.

Bryant first signed with Adidas in 2014 after the Cubs made him the No. 2 pick in the 2013 MLB Draft.